The Greatest Weakness
by Magic-in-the-air17
Summary: One-Shot: Rumple and Belle's thoughts and feelings during the FTL flashback in "Heroes and Villains", and a bit of what happened after. Super fluffy and cute!


DISCLAIMER: I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS IN THIS STORY. Obviously. This is my first fan fiction I've written in quite a while so enjoy!

Basically what Belle and Rumple were each thinking during the flashback in "Heroes and Villains"

XXXXX

"Belle? BELLE!"

Rumplestiltskin called out the maid's name as he walked around the castle grounds to where the laundry was hanging. He felt a twinge of guilt for having sent her out so suddenly, but he couldn't have her making inquisitions into his lifestyle choices; especially since she was usually right (she had said so herself, while she worked on the laundry; he much preferred listening to her speculations from afar)

As he reached the edge of the laundry lines, his confusion and worry deepened. She was clumsy enough to fall off ladders inside the castle, heaven knows what type of trouble she might get into outside.

"Don't tell me you've done something stupid like running away!" he quipped in an attempt to get her to reveal herself. He never said it in any seriousness, she was much too noble to try and break a deal. If she had any intent on running away she would have done in long ago.

His attention was caught be the beating of wings overhead, and he jumped as a sand dollar fell from overhead. _A message from near the sea? _

He held the smooth object in his hand as an image appeared.

_Belle_

_"__Rumplestiltskin, I'm supposed to ask you for that gauntlet from Camelot. Bring it to the base of Demon's Bluff at midnight or….I'll be killed."_

Rumplestiltskin cringed as the message faded and he heard Belle call out to him for help. He felt like someone had just seized control on his heart and was slowly crushing it as he thought the million and one things that could be happening to a treasure such as Belle in that very moment. He never doubted helping her, but the dark one within him did.

_She's just a maid! And not even an effective one. She can be replaced. She's just another possession._

Anger bubbled up inside of him at this thought and he felt magic dangerously crackle like electricity at his fingertips. He stared up at the sky, at the deathly black bird circling overhead. There was only one person he knew of who would have been foolish enough to make such a dangerous bargain for such as trifle such as that gauntlet.

"YOU!" he raged at the crow. "I know where you came from! Tell your master I know who she is and she's just crossed a line!"

_Because no one steals from the dark one_.

That was the only explanation he kept repeating to himself as worry and desperation for his maid seeped into his black heart and mind.

XXXXX

Belle struggled against her restraints. Her hands were bound tightly in front of her, as were her feet, and a gag tied around mouth. Her blindfold had been removed once they got to the cave, when her captors had asked her to send the message. But now she was in a cave so pitch dark she was blinded without the fabric covering her eyes.

She had seen her captor, well one of them anyway, since when she was blind folded she had hear three distinct voices. The first higher pitched had belonged to her visible captor, who was some sort of sorcereress. One of the other voices was a bit deeper for a woman, the voice that kept calling her "pretty thing". The last voice was kind of lilty and had an accent Belle couldn't quite place.

It was quiet now, and even if it was foolish Belle knew she needed to make some attempt at an escape. She knew Rumplestiltskin wasn't heartless, but she also knew he did love power, and the gauntlet was certainly powerful. She had serious doubts whether he would give up that power for her. For what was she to him but a caretaker?

She shifted around the cave until she felt her hand graze over a sharp stone. Quickly she went to work at the ropes, and surprisingly cut through the ropes binding her hands fairly fast. She made the same quick work of her feet, and stood up silently. As she went to take a step to find the entrance of the cave however, she heard what resembled a cackle and suddenly felt something long and slimy grasp around her throat and waist, "No no no, pretty thing, were not done with you yet."

As Belle was sat down on the cold cave floor, her head hit the cold stones behind her, and though she was seeing stars, she managed to spit out "He'll never trade that gauntlet for me." before she was gagged again. Only a small portion of her believed that statement to be true.

"Oh but you are my dear, certainly one of his more _prized _possessions. We do believe he would do anything to rescue the little company he chooses to keep." said the woman with the accent.

"Yes he did certainly seem infuriated when he yelled at my crow who delivered your message. I might dare say he cares for you my dear." her third captor said in a high trill.

Even sitting on a cold cave floor, with her life at stake, the thought of Rumplestiltskin's care for her still gave her a slightly comforted feeling in her heart.

XXXXX

Rumplestitskin paced the edge of the cliff that jutted outside of a dark cave, high above a rocky shore. He held the gauntlet tight in one hand, the fingers on his other hand making a nervous twirling motion. What if this was all for nothing, and she had already hurt Belle? His stomach flopped at the thought of one hair on the head of his sweet maid being hurt. He was growing impatient, his worry for his caretaker increasing with each passing minute.

"I have what you want dearie, now show yourself." he growled.

Suddenly a figure came stumbling out of the darkness. Belle.

He took in the sight of her as she sputtered out his name. She seemed un-harmed other than the bruises around her wrists which were still bound and the genuine look of terror mixed with relief on her face.

His shoulders tensed as a flock of crows came spiraling towards the cliff though and he called a threat he didn't really take in. He already knew Belle's captor was that idiot Maleficent, yet again biting off more than she could chew. What he was not expecting was when he shot angered banter at Maleficent and began to choke the life out of her, were the large tentacles that wrapped themselves around Belle's bodice and throat, Any relief that was on Belle's face was washed away. The sea witch stepped out from the dark, approaching Belle with a glint of triumph in her eyes that made Rumplestiltskin's blood boil. As the third villianess stalked out of the darkness in her overblown fur coat, Rumplestitskin knew this wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. He spurred a series of quips as his mind raced to find a way to save his maid and his new treasure. But all too soon he heard Cruella utter the words "Crush the maid's heart." his situation became all to real for his liking.

The Dark One inside of him fought. _She's less valuable. Just another possession. You're going to show weakness in caring for her? As if she could ever care for you?_

But for just a moment, he didn't care about weakness. She was Belle, his beautiful, sweet, brave Belle. And he was the coward sitting there watching her die.

He tossed the gauntlet as quickly as he could, barely listening to what the three queen's of darkness had to say. His eyes were only on his Belle as she regained her lost breaths. As Ursula pushed Belle forward, she stumbled hazily, and he caught her in his arms, concern suddenly filling his heart. And realization at what he had just done.

He had exchanged the gauntlet for Belle, which in a way had already pointed out his weakness. And if those three idiot witches ever wanted to turn on him, they knew exactly who to target.

"Why would you do that? The gauntlet…it power…" Belle shook her head in confusion.

"They still won't be able to harm you" was all he could reply, his concern for her and her alone overtaking his being. Until the next question hit him like a hard blow to his chest.

"Why do you care about me?" his Belle asked with a soft smile.

And instantly the walls around his humanity that had come crumbling down were put right back up.

"I don't….But if anyone's going to crush your heart, it's going to be me!" he sputtered, a bit more aggressively than he intended.

Belle stepped back a look of disappointment in her eyes. "Oh…..I understand."

Rumplestitskin just shook his head a decided not to open his mouth or risk making a further mess of the situation. He simple looped one arm around Belle's waist and sighed "Let's go home", and in a puff of purple smoke they were gone.

XXXXX

As soon as their feet landed on the expanse of carpet in the dining hall, Rumplestitskin pushed away from Belle. She felt a twinge of hurt, but could not dwell on it after all that had happened. He had chosen her over power. The malicious dark one had saved her life and sacrificed a chance to truly know his enemies weaknesses. No, it wasn't the malicious dark one who saved her life, Belle knew. It was the man behind the beast, that she had caught glimpse of here and there, but had never truly recognized until now.

Belle turned to Rumplestiltskin, who had already made his way over to his spinning wheel.

"Thank you."

"Tis no matter." he replied shortly, his eyes never leaving the well

She went to leave, but a nagging in her brain stopped her. He needed to know she hadn't wanted this.

"I tried" she said loudly.

His hands faltered and his eyes darted up at her in confusion. "What?"

"I tried. To escape. But the women were powerful, and I couldn't sneak away. I didn't want you to have to save me, to have to give up something important to you, I didn't want to be a damsel I-"the words kept spilling out of her and a few tears started to fall.

Suddenly, Rumplestiltskin was in front of her, concern etched across his face as he gripped her shoulders.

"Belle!"-he needed to shout her name to calm her rambling. "That gauntlet was merely a trinket. As you said, it's merely another valuable I would never speak of. No item was worth your safety." He sighed, his eyes focused solely on the ground beneath their feet.

Belle could tell he was unsure of his words as he gripped her shoulders tighter. And it was in this moment that she saw something. Behind the oddly colored skin and golden eyes. She saw a man. No,more than that, she saw a man that, in some way, shape, or form, _cared for her._ She smiled at the realization, and, in a flood of emotion and attempt to calm his worry, her lips darted close to his face and planted a swift, chaste kiss on his cheek.

His eyes widened and stared at her intently, and she couldn't help the blush that crept up her neck. She bit her lip as she grinned. " Well, I'm rather exhausted so I think I'll turn in for the night. Goodnight Rumplestiltskin. And thank you again. I hope I can repay you some day."

She darted from the room before his reply could leave his lips.

Rumplestiltskin stood there dumbly as the door closed behind Belle, his hand pressed to the spot where her lips had met his cheek.

"Goodnight, my Belle" he muttered quietly.

She may be his weakness, but she was the most wonderful weakness he had ever known.


End file.
